Bulletproof 5 Showtime
by Leslie Emm
Summary: Part 5 in Bulletproof series. The lab is short handed because New York is hosting an important political conference. ESU are on the case, along with two CSI's... what could possibly go wrong?
1. Prologue

**Bulletproof Series – 5**

This is number 5 in my 'Bulletproof' series. I didn't realise it _was_ a series until I was writing collide. It brings in the ESU – the guys in black and body armour – that back the team up regularly, with the introduction of a few OC's. They are in the show a fair bit, so it seemed logical (don't try and work out my logic – I can't!) to bring them into a main story. It also revolves around Flack and an OC, 'Krazy' Kate Howard who is from ESU, with the other members of the team involved. It introduces new characters from the beginning that stay through (unless I get the urge to kill someone off again that is!). Thank you for reading if you've read this far :)

**Showtime**

Prologue

Mac Taylor faced the ESU team.

"Make no mistake" he said gravely "This kid is armed, he is angry and upset, and he may snap"

Kate and Bo poured over the building plans "Here" Kate pointed to a rooftop that would give her the best shot of the perp "There are a few places to hide that I might not be able to see him, but I think it's probably the best place"

"Right" Bo said "Go, take Sol with you"

Kate and Sol ran through the school, low and fast, guns raised. The perp had a teacher held at gunpoint in a school room, luckily for Kate in his rampage, the kid had ripped down most of the blinds in the room, she had almost uninterrupted vision.

"Ryan Hall?" Kate heard Mac through the two way headset they all wore "This is Detective Taylor"

"I'm not coming out!" came the reply, through her scope Kate locked onto the boy, he was moving erratically, agitated, waving a handgun around.

"Sniper has contact" she said to the headset.

"Hold your fire" Mac said in an undertone, then louder "Ryan, I just wanna talk, I know you didn't kill anyone, I know that because I studied the evidence"

"So you know who it was?" Ryan said, sounding hopeful "You know it was this piece of shit in here? He killed my girl, because he _raped_ her!"

Kate watched as the kid stilled, facing the door that Mac was talking through "Sniper still has contact" she informed them, she wouldn't take the shot until told to do so, or the situation demanded it.

"I know he did" Mac agreed "And he'll pay for that, trust me, but not like this"

The kid started moving again "It was the baby wasn't it?" Ryan almost sobbed "It wasn't mine was it?"

"No Ryan" Mac opted for truth, he always opted for truth "It wasn't. It was Hardle's, that's how I knew what you were telling me was right"

"You Bastard!" Kate heard and stiffened, her rifle following Ryan as he pointed the gun at the teachers head "Mr Hardle" Ryan mocked "_Biology_ teacher! That's a joke!"

"Ryan listen to me!" Mac shouted, his tone urgent. Kate knew he saw a version of what she could see, the classrooms had cctv, and Adam had tapped in and was following what occurred in the room.

"If you shoot him" Mac continued "Everyone loses, because someone will shoot you, we don't want that, this can still be sorted out"

Suddenly the teacher, Hardle, lunged for Ryan as his attention was diverted, they struggled on the floor, the gun skittered across the room.

"Sniper has contact" Kate said, he voice breathless from adrenaline. Other ESU officers battered the door, the desk behind it holding it firmly shut.

Ryan reached the gun at the same time ESU battered their way in, he turned the gun and fired at Mac and the officers streaming through the door, one shot was all he got, imminent danger to life, Kate's training flowed through her head in less than a split second. _Fire without authorisation when there is_ _imminent danger to life. _

She squeezed the trigger, glass shattering from the window opposite her almost instantly, Ryan dropped, the gun falling from his hand. Kate kept her weapon trained, barely breathing.

"Gun clear!" an officer shouted, Ryan was on the floor, bleeding from a sucking bullet wound in his chest, Kate had used a body shot, instead of a head shot.

"Get EMT in here!" Mac shouted "You!" he pointed to Hardle "That should be you!"

Kate saw no more, she picked up her rifle and ran down to meet her team.

…...

Kate watched as they loaded Ryan onto the waiting ambulance, for the first time in her career, she regretted pulling the trigger. Mac saw her face.

"It was the right call" he said "As tough as it is now, you followed protocol, he was a threat"

"Protocol" she said with a sneer "Can kiss my ass, he's a kid Mac!"

"Yes he is" Mac replied "But he was a kid with a gun, and he pulled the trigger, you saved lives, it's your job"

She ran her hands over her eyes "Don't make it any easier" she said.

"You're tough Howard" he gave her a lopsided smile "You'll be OK"

"But will he?" Kate stared after the departing ambulance.

…...

Kate stood in the small garden of the town house, her cigarette was almost gone, she toyed with the idea of lighting another.

"That my secret stash or yours?" she jumped slightly as she heard Don behind her.

"Yours" she said "I smoked all mine"

"Hand 'em over" he said, sitting next to her on the bench "I could do with one"

"They're bad for you" she warned as she gave him the packet.

"Back 'atcha" he replied, lighting one.

"We gotta be the worst secret smokers ever" she gave him a sad smile.

"Don't do it _that_ often" he said "Guilty pleasure"

"A bit like _Top Gun?_" she teased.

"I like Top Gun" he said, exhaling slowly "It's a classic"

"More like every little boys dream" she leaned her head on his shoulder "To fly a plane and look like Tom Cruise"

"There is that" he replied "I heard about today"

"Oh you did huh?" she sighed.

"Mac called me, make sure you're all right. Are you?" he asked.

"I don't know" she replied honestly "It was a bad day at the office"

"Mac thinks you made the right call, and from what he told me, I do too" he said, swinging an arm around her shoulders.

"A kids's still in hospital, having one of _my_ bullets removed from his body" she said "That sucks Don, I shot a kid, a kid who just wanted someone to listen"

"A kid who fired a weapon at police officers after taking a hostage" he pointed out.

"A kid who lost his girlfriend and got blamed for her murder" she retorted "A kid who _knew_ who'd done it and why, a kid no one would believe"

"He's gonna be OK" Don said, kissing the top of her head "And so are you"

"How d'ya know that?" she sighed.

"The kid? I don't" he said "But you got a body shot, you gave him the only chance you could. And you? I know you, you'll get drunk somewhere and then proposition some poor schmuck you used to work with, and then he won't be able to get you out his head and you'll end up driving him nuts for the rest of his life"

She laughed quietly as he fiddled with her engagement ring.

…...

Kate put the phone back in it's holster, smiling.

"The kid's gonna be OK?" Don asked.

"Yeah" she said "He's going to be in hospital a while but he's doing good"

"See?" he smiled, putting his arms around her "You should listen to me more often, I'm a wise man"

She gave him a sly look "Of course you are, you're marrying me"

"Hmmm" he said, moving to take a bottle of wine from the refrigerator "I'm not sure that decision is all that wise" he teased.

"Oh shush" she said laughing, handing him two glasses.

"I told you Hawkes and Camille are gettin' married right?" he added.

"Yeah" she smiled "They're so cute"

"You mean they're nice to each other?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah" she sunk onto the couch, curling her feet underneath her.

"We should try it" he grinned at her.

"As I recall" she replied smartly "I was _real_ nice to you last night"

"Good point there Krazy" he stretched out on the recliner opposite her.

"I used to hate that" she commented with a smile.

"What?" he frowned, flicking though TV channels.

"Krazy" she said "I really hated it"

"You did?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the TV "You never said anything"

"What and give you another stick to beat me with?" she retorted "I don't think so, you'd have _never_ let up with it then"

"You make me sound like some sort of playground bully" he grumbled.

"You were" she grinned.

"Humph" he replied "So you want me to stop sayin' it?"

"No, I kinda like it now" she said "Only you that calls me it, and sometimes Danny"

"Krazy Katherine Howard" he mused "At least when you marry me you won't sound like one of Henry the Eighths wives any more"

"Don't even go there Flack" she warned "She was beheaded for treason, for cheating on the King"

"Let that be a lesson to you then" he said distractedly "Die Hard, another classic film" he made himself more comfortable.

"Oh I'm gonna take a bath" she laughed, standing up, stopping in front of him she looked down "Wanna join me?"

"Sssh" he said, a sly grin on his face as he pushed her out the way so he could see "Bruce is talking"

"Yippe'ki'aye!" Kate said, heading off to the bathroom alone with a smile.

…...


	2. Chapter 1

**Showtime.**

Chapter 1

Jo Danville hovered outside Mac's office, listening to an angry one way conversation.

"Chief I understand..." he said "Yes I know but..."

She tapped on the glass door after hearing him slam the receiver down.

"Problems?" she asked.

"Only if you consider trying to run the lab two detectives down a problem!" he exploded "The Chief has sequestered Danny and Lindsay to this damn circus coming to town!"

"The circus is coming to town?" Jo looked excited. To anyone who knew her less, it might be considered a dumb question, to Mac he knew it was Jo's way of drawing him out, of adding humour to the situation. Still he gave her a look of impatient disgust.

"Some of the highest profile Heads of State are visiting New York in a month" he said, his manner short "The Mayor and the Chief have decided that they need to give a show of force and put bodies on the street"

"Two of those bodies being ours?" Jo asked.

"Yes" he snapped "Lindsay and Danny are reassigned to the HOS Visit Task Force for a month"

"They won't like it" Jo mused "Danny _hated_ being back in uniform"

"_I_ don't like it" Mac told her "And I'm expecting a furious Danny in here any minute demanding I get him out of it, which I can't, because I just tried"

"We'll manage Mac" Jo soothed with a smile "Hawkes is capable in the field, Adam seems perfectly able to mainline caffeine, so he can take on extra lab duties and oversee the tech's. We can take a break from paperwork and do more fun stuff, and we'll still have Flack, he's getting better with the 'geek speak' as he puts it" her expression changed to one of concern "We still have Flack right?"

"I don't know" Mac sighed, running his hand through his hair "The way this is going, he could be directing traffic for a month, especially after the stunt he pulled a couple of months ago"

"Flack on traffic?!" she said, incredulous "I don't want to be anywhere near _that_ conversation!"

Mac allowed himself a small smile, he had been wildly speculating about that, but the mental image of someone telling Don to go direct traffic, or more accurately, Flack's response, was amusing.

…...

Don Flack walked into ESU headquarters, heading straight for Kate's office, the place was a hive of activity, men shouted, women laughed, music played somewhere.

He tapped on her door, pushing it open "You ready for dinner?" he asked.

"Two minutes" she said, not taking her eyes from the computer screen, scrolling to look at something in closer detail.

He sat in the empty chair, picking up a sheaf of paper to do so "Glad to see you're as untidy here as you are at home" he said, trying to find an available space to put them, and failing. He gave up, putting them on his lap as he sat down.

"I have more important things to worry about" she frowned, turning her head sideways to get a better view of whatever was on the screen "Geniuses don't clean up"

He laughed "Neither do super hero's" he said.

"Then we need a maid, Batman" she said, finally giving him her attention with a smile.

"I think you're onto something there Krazy" he said "As long as you're not like my mother, and clean before the cleaner comes"

She pulled a face "No way"

"Good" he frowned as her attention wavered back to the screen "Whatchya doin?"

"It's classified" she said.

"What?!" he started to laugh, stopping as she glared at him.

"I'm not joking" she said "It is"

"Oh right well" he sulked, feigning hurt "If you don't _want_ to tell me..."

"I _can't_ tell you" she teased, switching the computer off and pulling her coat on.

He stood, returning the papers to where he found them, and putting his arms around her waist, holding her tight against him "I have ways of making you talk Howard" he said.

"I know you do" she grinned at him "I'm looking forward to that later"

"So you're gonna tell me?" he wheedled.

"Depends how good your persuasion is, doesn't it?" she replied cheekily, wriggling away and picking up her bag.

"You're mean, hiding stuff from me, I thought we were gonna talk more?" he said, following her out.

"Yeah that worked out _real_ well didn't it" she laughed "It lasted all of a month!"

They got into his car, shutting the doors "We do talk more" he said, firing the engine.

"Yeah we do" she agreed "It's good"

"So make it better" he wheedled, looking at her sideways "Tell me what's so top secret"

"As of Monday" she said "I am assigned to protection detail, on the HOS visit task force"

"Really?" he said, eyebrows raised "That's um... What's HOS?"

Kate laughed "Heads of state visit" she supplied, seeing his look of confusion intensify "You still have no idea do you?"

"No" he admitted, fighting a grin.

"In a months time, New York is hosting some huge conference for all heads of state" she told him "A task force has been set up to provide security to the heads of state, to provide intel on anyone dumb enough to try terrorism and generally make sure that no one screws it up"

"I read something about that in the paper" he mused "HOS though? Sounds like a bad western movie character"

She laughed "I know, the Mayor just loves his abbreviations"

"Why do you think it's such a long word?" he mused, pulling into a space outside the bar.

"What? Abbreviation?" she asked.

"Yeah, it means 'short for something', you think they'd have thought of a shorter word, ironic don'tcha think?" he said as they shut the doors and walked towards the door of the bar.

"Ironic instead of abbreviation?" she asked, looking as confused as he had.

He led her over to the table where Lindsay and Danny were waiting already.

"What's this?" Lindsay asked.

"Don thinks the word abbreviation is too long, he thinks it should be ironic" she said.

"What?!" Danny started to laugh, Lindsay's grin spread.

"No" Don said, waiting for Kate to sit so that he could sit beside her "What I actually said is, that I find it ironic that abbreviation is such a long word, and that they coulda thought of a shorter one to describe a word that means 'short for something'"

"Well you didn't say that" Kate laughed "He didn't, I swear" she added to Lindsay, taking the glass of wine she offered.

"I did!" All four were laughing now "It is though, right?" he looked at Danny for back up.

"You were seriously having this conversation?" Danny laughed.

"I think we were" Don grimaced.

"You two are so made for each other" Lindsay said "Let's order, I'm starving"

"Good idea there Messer" Don said, flipping open a menu.

"I may regret this" Lindsay added, grinning at Danny "But what brought the conversation to that?"

"I was telling him about HOS" Kate said.

"Oh _that_" Lindsay sighed "You on it too?"

"Yeah" Kate looked surprised "Protection, heading up a team. What you doing?"

"Intel, bug sweeps and stuff" she replied "Mac is spitting feathers that we've been pulled out the lab for a month"

"I'll bet" Kate agreed.

"Am I the only cop in New York not heard about this?" Don asked the table.

"Probably" Kate and Danny said in unison.

…...


	3. Chapter 2

**Showtime**

Chapter 2

Jo entered autopsy, secretly, she kind of liked it down here, she liked the sterile order, the quiet, the company.

"You rang?" she grinned at Sid as he leaned over a body.

"Ah, hello Jo" he beamed "Thank you for coming down, I would have called Mac but..." he stopped, making a face.

"He's like a bear with a sore head?" Jo finished "Yes I know"

"How long are Danny and Lindsay away?" Sid asked.

"A month" Jo said "This HOS thing has everyone's panties in a bunch"

"Don's too" Sid unsnapped his glasses "He was down here muttering something about wanting to be finished early, but no such luck, is he assigned too?"

"No" Jo smiled "His fiancé, Kate is though, and he's not happy about it"

"Ah young love" Sid turned his head onto one side, giving Jo an expansive smile "It's nice to see him happy again, she seems a lovely girl"

"It's nice to see anyone happy Sid" Jo replied with a grin "What you got? I thought this was a suicide?"

"Ah, well" Sid snapped his glasses back on, switching to work mode "So did I until I saw _this_" he pointed to the screen beside them, tapping to enhance an image of the brain "You see these dark areas?" he asked "They are where the tissue has been damaged, by a bleed into the brain"

"Blunt force trauma?" Jo looked closer.

"I thought that" he said "But there was no evidence of any injuries to the back of the head at all, this was what they call a 'major brain injury'"

"So what is it?" she asked.

"When I took a closer look" he tapped the screen again, enhancing the image more "I discovered that this damage was old, about 18 months to 2 years, I am awaiting the medical records, but I think this man had a stroke, a massive stroke" he paused for effect "And the area it's in would have almost certainly caused paralysis down the left side, major paralysis, I doubt if there was any movement at all. Muscle wastage on the left side of the body confirms it"

He moved the sheet to show her, finally pointing to the right wrist "He certainly wouldn't have had the strength to make an incision that deep. Possibly with repeated slashes, but not all in one go. Don also told me that he was found in the tub, I seriously doubt that he would have the strength to climb into the bath without assistance"

"So we have a homicide?" she asked.

"Or assisted suicide?" Sid suggested "This man is barely into his forties, I can only imagine what it must have been like to be half paralysed and need care around the clock"

"But why wasn't it flagged then?" Jo asked "If he needed care, there must have been equipment, and someone there. Surely?"

"I can't tell you that" Sid replied with a sardonic grin "That's your department, but here are the case notes that Don brought, he's going to be over the moon when you call him"

"Oh I can deal with him" Jo laughed taking the file "He's a big softie really"

…...

Jo had to rethink her assessment of Detective Flack as he practically took the door to the lab off it's hinges as he stalked through, he didn't look so soft right now, he headed straight for her office.

Standing with his arms folded he took in the chaos around him "Looks like my spare room at home" he commented in a low voice "What little time I get to spend at home that is"

"I wouldn't have had you down as the untidy type" she grinned at him, ignoring the jibe.

"I'm not" he replied "Kate is. She can make a mess in an empty room, considering how little time _she_ spends at home too, it never fails to amaze me"

"Ah the little imperfections we look past to love the whole" Jo smiled at him.

"Little?!" Don snorted "She's like a hurricane!"

Jo laughed "So, your suicide? Not a suicide" she told him.

"You're kidding me right?" he sighed.

"Afraid not" she made a face "Sid found evidence that he had had a massive stroke about 2 years ago, Don he was paralysed down the left side, he couldn't have even got into the bathtub unaided, let alone cut his right wrist. Was there no aids there? Carers?"

"No" he drew his brows together "Nothing, no wheelchair, no lifting aids, and it was his sister who called it in, and she never said a word, although I didn't get much out of her, paramedics had had to sedate her"

"That" Jo said "Is odd. Maybe the sister was too upset to mention he was paralysed, but I got the medical records, and this Lee Harley wasn't even receiving treatment any more, there was nothing more the physio could do for him. He had minimal movement down his left side, he couldn't even stand alone"

"But why wouldn't alarm bells be ringing for her?" Don mused "Surely it would be the first thing that she realised? That he couldn't have done it himself?"

"Assisted suicide?" Jo put forward Sid's suggestion "Maybe the sister helped him and now can't face that?"

"But to cut his wrists?" Don looked sceptical "An overdose would be simpler, easier, less harrowing"

"True" Jo sat back in her chair and steepled her hands "I think we need to take a look at the apartment"

"It's been closed off" Don said "I figured that it could wait until morning to be processed, being a suicide"

"Good" Jo stood and grabbed her coat "Let's go! I just want to call Hawkes on the way, Two heads are better than one!"

Don sighed and followed her out and into the hallway, smiling as Jo cut the call to Hawkes and they stepped into the elevator together.

"You're not very popular tonight are you?" he said.

Jo shrugged "The price of being a boss I guess" she said "Though I don't like pulling young men away from their private lives, sometimes it's not fair"

Don appreciated the sentiment, especially as he knew she was missing her family too, because of this.

"It's all part of the job" he shrugged.

"And you love that too" she grinned as the elevator took them smoothly down.

…...

Kate flashed her lights and waved at Don as she passed his car on their street, he did the same.

Driving to work she didn't hear the message come through to her phone, she checked the cell as she got out the car.

_Sorry_ was all it said, she took a moment to reply before heading into ESU.

_Don't worry, get some sleep, might see you later_ _if we're lucky_.

She tossed the phone into her bag, running up the steps and into the building, only to meet Mark 'Bo' Beauchamp, her commanding officer on his way out.

"Where you headed?" she asked.

"HOS taskforce meeting" he said "Where I get our assignments"

"We better have someone good" she remarked with a smile "I don't wanna be guarding some no body Bo"

He laughed "I'll let them know"

…...

"Right!" Bo said "Here it is, we're going to have three teams of six, each working eight on eight off. One headed up by Kate, one by Sol, and one by me. We have all been assigned to a visiting head of state. Every dignitary party, including the head of state themselves are staying in different locations across the city. Some at hotels and some at rented or bought private residences. Our job is to provide armed assistance to their own security team. We will be guarding these people around the clock, where they are staying, where they go. We will have men inside and out, and this one is shoot to kill policy, two warnings and then take them down" he looked at his team, some looked nervous, some bored, he continued "Your team will be responsible for checking out locations and making sure you know the entrances and exits, but that's it, unless anything happens, we remain passive. The security teams that they bring will do the rest. HOS intel will check the places out for bugs and the like"

"So basically" Kate added "We stand there looking tough with big guns?"

"More or less" Bo nodded "Yeah, further assistance is available should we need it, air support and K9 units. When we get our assigned dignitary, we go and check their residence, and anywhere they intend to go, we'll get that info later. And here's the good news, until they actually arrive, which is anywhere up until two days before the conference starts, we're off active, given time to prepare. So we get to do the 9 to 5 thing for a couple of weeks"

A few of the team started singing the Dolly Parton hit, '9 till 5' at that. Laughter echoed around the room.

"OK!" Bo shouted "Settle down! Kate, Sol and I will arrange teams, and we'll spend the next couple of weeks training together, at the range and generally getting our game on, any questions?"

"No?" he said after a moment "Ok, clear off, Kate, Sol, my office in ten?"

"You got it boss" Sol gave a mock salute "Let's nip next door and grab a coffee" he lowered his tone to Kate "I don't think we'll get chance later"

"I love you Sol" Kate grinned at him, slapping him on the back in a friendly gesture.


	4. Chapter 3

**Showtime**

Chapter 3

"I find it hard to believe Casey" Don leaned forward from the comfortable arm chair he sat in "That you didn't think that any of this was odd. Your brother was totally reliant on help, he needed equipment to move around, yet you didn't find it strange that he'd managed to get from the bed to the bathroom alone, get in the tub alone, and then cut his wrists?"

Casey Harley sniffled and wiped tears away again "I just panicked" she shrugged "I knew he was unhappy, depressed, they warned us that it might be like that, but I never thought..." she stopped, her words drying into sobs.

"We understand that this is hard for you" Jo said in a gentle tone "But we know that there is no way that Lee managed this alone, he had help"

"Are you accusing me of doing it?" she replied hotly "Because I would never, _ever_ hurt my brother!"

"But you'd help him right?" Jo pressed "If that's what he wanted?"

"No!" Casey glared at them "I don't believe this!"

"Casey" Don took over again "We also need to know where his equipment was. We found nothing to indicate that he needed any assistance at all at his apartment"

"I don't know!" she wailed "Please just leave me alone!"

"OK" Jo stood, realising that they weren't going to get any further, they needed some evidence to put Casey, or someone, in the apartment with Lee "We'll leave you alone, but please" she handed Casey her card "Call myself or Detective Flack if you think of anything at all"

"So what do you think?" Don asked her as they left Casey to her grief.

"She's hiding something" Jo mused "I don't know what, but she is. I need to get this evidence processed if we're going to get anywhere with this"

Don thought a few moments, he respected Jo's take on people, she had a way of seeing through things, profiling.

"Do you think she did it?" he asked.

"No" Jo replied "Like you said, slashing someone's wrists is hard to do, it speaks of rage, not love, not helping someone slip quietly away. It's messy and traumatic to all involved. I think we are looking for a murderer here, not an angel of mercy"

"But maybe she knows who did?" he asked.

"Possibly" Jo shrugged "Like I said, there's something there"

Don stood next to his car, door open as Jo got into the CSI vehicle.

"I'll call when I have something from the evidence" she called, closing the door with a cheery wave.

Don sat in the drivers seat, reading the message that had come through while they were interviewing Casey.

It was a picture of a plush hotel foyer, it had 'Continental Hotels' emblazoned everywhere. The caption with the picture made him smile.

_Can we upgrade to here?_

He text back with a grin, she was kidding if she thought that they could afford even a night somewhere like that, never mind a whole wedding - _In your dreams babe!_

He toyed with the phone a few seconds, throwing it onto the front seat as he put his seat belt on and started the car. He had to wait for Jo to come back with something concrete on this case, and his damned paperwork could wait a bit longer.

…...

Kate and her team entered the hotel foyer, she marched up to the desk, oblivious of the stares they were receiving from the staff and some guests.

"Sergeant Howard, ESU" she flashed her badge and ID "I believe you are expecting us?"

"This way sergeant" a stuffy looking receptionist replied, he eyed their black and blue uniforms with 'NYPD' emblazoned across the back and the handgun each officer wore. He led them into a lift, silence reigned.

As they stepped out, he waved expansively with his arms "The dignitary will inhabit the whole of this floor, with their entourage and security team"

"Thanks" Kate said "Once we've checked this out, I'll need to look at the function room where they intend to entertain and out the back, kitchens and stuff"

They walked along the corridor. Maids scurried from room to room, doors were open and Kate smiled as she saw a silver box, lid opened, with 'Messer' printed on the side.

"We have been requested by the manager to keep this _low profile"_ the receptionist said.

"Of course" Kate nodded gravely "That's why we didn't bring the armour plated cars, the assault rifles and the helicopter"

She heard a chuckle from inside a room, and was relieved that at least _someone_ had got her sarcasm, by the look on his face, the receptionist hadn't.

"Please don't hesitate to call reception should you need anything" the receptionist told her with a sneer before disappearing back into the elevator.

"I'm amazed at your self control there Krazy Kate" she looked round as Danny stepped into the hall "I wanted to shoot the guy an hour ago, Lindsay stopped me"

"He's just doing his job" Lindsay said "Even if he is an ass"

"One of my wife's qualities" he grinned at Lindsay "Her tolerance"

"She'd have to be tolerant" Kate said "Putting up with you"

Lindsay laughed, Danny narrowed his eyes, teasing "Don's right" he told her "You _are_ mean"

"Somethin' I always like to hear" A voice said from down the hall "That I'm right"

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked Don, suspicion on his face.

"He's being nosy" Kate said, grinning at Lindsay "He can't stand being left out"

"I am not!" Don defended.

"I don't see no dead bodies lyin' around" Danny pointed out with a smile.

"Yet!" Don said, menacingly "I am actually here on official police business"

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay asked, a smile forming "What?"

Don looked slightly uncomfortable "I'm not allowed to say" he covered.

"See" Kate shrugged "Nosy, he'll be hiding from Gerrard, or paperwork, or both, and no one has had the decency to kill someone else in the last half hour, so he can't even get out on an investigation"

"I think you got it there Kate" Lindsay teased him "It must be a guy thing"

"OK!" Don held his hands up "I'm wagging, there, you happy now?!"

"Well some of us have work to do" Danny said, turning back into the room he came out of with Don in tow, Kate walked to the end of the corridor, with her team, checking for exits, possible weak points in rooms.

"You got somethin'?" Don's interest was sparked, he'd worked with Danny long enough to know when something had gained his attention.

"Maybe" Danny frowned "Bit odd, looks like a blank wall, might be from the high def wiring, I'll need to check the plans" he fiddled with his laptop "Yeah. More high def" he added.

"Huh" Don said "How much does a room like this cost anyway?" gazing around the well appointed space, it boasted every luxury, and then some.

"More than I make in a month" Danny said "I'm done here"

…...

"You seriously got nowhere better to be?" Kate asked Don, head on one side as he followed them into a function room, set out for around 40 guests.

"Nope" he grinned as he nosed around "Oooh a _Sultan" _he said "You're gonna be mixing with the rich and famous" he teased.

"No" she said with mock exaggerated patience "I'm gonna be outside the door, with a big gun"

Kate turned to inspect a fire door, checking it's stability, he moved closer behind her, not touching but leaning in and speaking quietly.

"You could always put on that dress you wore for the widows and orphans" he said, she didn't need to see his face to know the expression "I think a handgun strapped your the top of your leg, ya know, _under_ the stockings could be the way to go"

"That your new fantasy?" she feigned disinterest.

"Old fantasy" he laughed "New addition"

"The gun?" she asked, a smile creeping into her tone.

"Uh-huh" he confirmed.

"Very James Bond" she grinned at him over her shoulder.

"I dressed up as James Bond once" he said "_Big_ hit with the ladies"

"All the gear and no idea?" she teased.

"When we get married" he gave her a stern look, one she knew wasn't real "You'll have to be nice to me you know, I won't tolerate grief like this any more"

"When we get married" she raised her eyebrows at him, a cheeky smile spreading across her face "I'll get away with it, like I always have"

He opened his mouth to reply and was cut off by Danny.

"Hey Flack, you busy tonight?" he called across the room from where he was running the bug sweeper across a light fitting.

"No honey" he teased, raising his eyebrows at Kate before turning and heading for Danny.

"You wanna catch a game?" Danny asked, ignoring Lindsay's chuckle as well as Don's sarcasm.

"Sounds like a plan, _if_ I don't have to arrest anyone" Don said.

"Hey!" They all heard Lindsay shout from across the room "What are you doing?"

They heard the muffled sounds of running carpet, turning they saw Lindsay being pushed aside from the storeroom door she was holding open, as a scruffy man in jeans and a hoodie made a dash for one of the sets of double doors leading from the room.

"Hey Stop right there, police!" Danny shouted, Don tried to stop him, stepping into his path.

The man took a swing at him, catching him full in the mouth, sending him reeling back into Danny. Don, Danny and the kit crashed on the floor as the man dodged around the mess, heading for the other doors.

Lindsay was right behind him, members of Kate's team had their guns drawn and were shouting at the man to stop. Kate came at him from the other side, with Lindsay one side and Kate the other, they managed to bring him down between them.

"Lie still!" Kate warned as he struggled, he was further persuaded by Lindsay's knee in the small of his back.

"Next time I tell you to stop" Lindsay said, helping Kate secure the cuffs "Do it, I hate running in heels"

Don helped Danny to his feet "Gee Flack" Danny rubbed at his chest, leaning on his colleague "You're heavy"

Don gave him a look of disbelief, his own hand rubbing the rapid swelling across his mouth "Danny, I just got punched in the face, I didn't do it on purpose!"

"I know buddy" Danny said, inspecting the small cut on Don's lip "You OK?"

"Get a room you two" Kate smirked at them, as her and Lindsay dragged the detainee to his feet.

"Was it me" Danny said quietly "Or was that"

"Hot?" Don finished "Hell yeah" they grinned at each other.


	5. Chapter 4

**Showtime**

A/N  Thank you for the reviews, favourites and follows :) makes me happy to know this is being enjoyed! :D

Chapter 4

"So" Jo asked as she entered the lab "What do we have?"

Adam looked at her "_I_ have a caffeine hangover" he grumbled.

"Aw, poor baby!" Jo rubbed his arm in a motherly gesture.

"But, I do have _something_ else" he accepted the sympathy. He liked Jo, she was warm, funny, and he enjoyed being mothered once in a while.

"Oh, now see?!" Jo's face lit up "It was all worth it in the end!"

"There were rubber marks on the bathroom floor carpet runner" he said "Also on the bedroom door and the front door, in the elevator and building entrance, very fresh. I analysed them and they are from the type of rubber typically used to make wheelchair tyres, which is the same type used to make mobile hoists"

"So someone took Lee's equipment from the apartment?" Jo looked puzzled "What about the knife?"

"No useable prints" Adam sighed "There's partial details, but not enough really, all I can say is that Lee Harley _may_ have handled that knife, but someone with similar ridge detail also may have handled it"

"No DNA?" she asked.

"Only blood on the knife was Lee's" Adam replied "Nothing under the handle at all. And the other prints Hawkes lifted? No match in AFIS and no match to the DNA in CODIS either"

"OK" Jo stood deep in thought for a few moments "I'll get Don to start looking for the equipment, it's got to be somewhere. I can't believe that someone killed this guy and then took his stuff!"

"Burgalry/Homicide?!" Adam gave her a doubtful look.

"This is different Adam" she said "This is personal. Run him through every database you can think of, I need to know _everything_ about him and his sister"

"Will do" Adam sighed, sitting back in his chair "I need coffee" he groaned.

…...

"Well" Danny folded his arms, looking at the man Kate and Lindsay had caught at the hotel "I'll ask you again, what is your name?"

"Michael" the man replied "Mouse"

"Ok Mr Mouse!" Danny slammed his hands onto the desk, making it shudder, he made a mental note not to do it again, the tables at the HOS task force building were a lot flimsier than the ones at the precinct "Just what were you doing in that room at the hotel?"

"Nothin'" the guy grunted.

"Nothin' huh?" Danny sat down "So why you run?"

The man shrugged "Dunno"

"Listen buddy" Danny leaned over "This is a big deal, OK? You were in a restricted area, takin' photo's, damn, you could land up at Gitmo for that!"

"No comment" the man replied, looking Danny square in the eye.

"Right" Danny sighed "No comment"

…...

"He say anything?" Lindsay asked as she sat at her makeshift desk.

"His name is Michael" Danny rolled his eyes "Michael 'No comment' Mouse!"

"Actually" Lindsay said with a smile "His name is Aaron Beckton and he's a media student at NYU"

"He's on record?!" Danny asked her, leaning down to look at the screen.

"For a public order offence" Lindsay said.

"Media student?" Danny mused "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin' babe?"

"Rarely" Lindsay laughed "But I am thinking that he was in there nosing about and that he was maybe looking for a way inside to get close to the action and sell some information"

"Possibly" Danny shrugged "But why not just say that?"

"Because he's probably been told to keep his mouth shut by whoever he's working for" Lindsay said "Papers don't like being exposed as using underhand tricks to get information"

"Underhand and _illegal_" Danny commented "So this kids a budding journo and he has been snooping around looking for stories on the people coming to the HOS conference?"

"Some sheik or prince caught in a sex scandal will sell lots of papers" Lindsay mused.

…...

"You're not _that_ old" Kate said as she looked at the computer screen, her hands on Don's shoulders.

"They're for you" he quipped back "You're older than me, ya know wanna be prepared"

"Thanks" she said dryly.

"Any time" he replied in a flat tone.

"This case is bugging you isn't it?" she observed.

"I can't figure any of it out" he admitted "There's no evidence to speak of, and the only lead we got is that his equipment was taken from his apartment. His sister won't talk, and..." he sighed "I dunno, we just got a dead guy in a bath! I'm trawling through all these to try and find who sold them. I'm also trying to get some co-operation from the care company that supplied aides to him"

He pointed to the screen where he was scrolling through lists of companies that sold equipment.

"But what kinda lowlife" he continued "Kills a disabled guy and stages a suicide to steal his stuff?! It's not like he could have stopped them! I emailed every company that sells these things in the tri state area to find out where he got them from in the first place, nothing"

Kate slid her hands around his chest, resting her cheek against his.

"Take a break baby?" she tried.

"I can't" he huffed "This is all we got, I came home to do it so at least we can be in the same _area code_ tonight!"

"You gotta eat" she told him.

"Later" he said, starting to scroll again.

"No" she pulled the of the chair away from the computer "_Now_"

"OK!" he stood up "You're quite persuasive when you wanna be"

"I know" she grinned at him "And I cooked" she caught his look of surprise "Yeah that's right, _cooked_. I can you know"

"I know you can" he answered, following her through to the kitchen "You just don't very often"

She shrugged, handing him a plate "Maybe I just wanna look after you"

He put his head on one side "What do you want?" he asked.

"Nothing!" she replied, returning his half smile.

He laughed, pointing at the food with his fork "This is good"

"Thanks" she replied.

"So?" he met her eyes "Wha'd'ya want then Krazy?"

She looked uncomfortable, looking down from his eye contact, taking a forkful of food before flicking her gaze in his direction again, he hadn't let up, he was still looking at her.

"I just wanted half an hour, just to ya know, do something normal, eat dinner together" she admitted "I've missed you, we both been so busy..."

His fork paused half way to is mouth and he put it down again, giving her a look she couldn't read.

"I'm not complaining" she started "Well I suppose I am" she gave a small laugh, still not able to look at him "But not _at_ you, like I'm not starting anything or trying to have a fight, I don't wanna... Oh GOD!" she said in frustration "Why am I so bad at this?!"

He laughed then "I love the way you get it all wrong" he said "Just say it"

"Don't take the piss!" she said hotly "I'm trying to be serious, trying to... Oh shit I dunno. Just forget I said anything"

He ate another mouthful, looking at her thoughtfully "I'm sorry" he said "I wasn't taking the piss, I didn't mean to upset you"

"I'm not upset" she said, her face closed.

"Yeah you are" he replied "You got somethin' on your mind Kate"

"We're _never _gonna have a normal life are we?" she sighed "One of us is always gonna be answering a phone, or facing the barrel of a gun"

"It's who we are" he said "It's what we do"

"I know" she sighed "It's just I don't like it when it's like this!"

"Then retire" he gave her a teasing grin, he felt the same, like the past few weeks they were room mates, rather than getting married in a couple of months time.

"Oh shush" she grumbled.

"You could be a kept woman" he raised an eyebrow at her suggestively "Just not a well kept one, on one salary" he laughed.

"Oh Yeah that sounds like me!" she shot back with a half grin "And what, having a kid every couple of years?!"

"Couple of years?" he frowned "If you're gonna retire, you're gonna earn it, every year"

"Cheeky bastard!" she threw a cushion at him laughing "What am I? A brood mare?!"

He shrugged, putting his plate down and sitting on the sofa next to her, taking her empty plate and putting it on the coffee table before laying his head in her lap, looking at her.

"So all this rambling" he grinned up at her "What you're _actually_ trying to say is that I've been ignoring you and you want more attention?"

"No" she said coyly "Well kinda" she laughed along with him "It's not just you though is it? It's me too. Both of us are really busy"

"I don't like it either" he said "I miss you, I miss _talking_ to you, well listening to you jabber on anyway" he held up a hand as she picked up another cushion threateningly "One of us falls into bed exhausted just as the other one gets up, but it's only for now right? You're working better hours this next couple a weeks and there'll be something come through in this case soon"

"You promise?!" she asked.

"Cross my heart" he said back, heading back to the computer in the spare room.

"I'll kick your ass if you're wrong Flack" she warned.

"I have no doubt" he replied.

…...


	6. Chapter 5

**Showtime**

Chapter 5

"Wow" Jo said as she approached Don's desk "Someone didn't get much sleep last night"

"I was up half the night trying to find the suppliers of the equipment" he explained "And trying to find the people who cared for him. Nothing, no company sold them to him, and the nurses and aides all check out"

"You wouldn't find the suppliers" she said, taking the empty seat opposite him "I went back to the apartment this morning, I thought there _had_ to be something, some paperwork, or receipts, that could tell us something. I found a sticker, wedged behind the bed, it must have transferred when he was being moved"

"So?" Don prompted.

"I traced it back to a company right here in New York" she checked her notes "Creative Solutions for Disability"

"But I asked them!" he stated "They had no record!"

"That's because they gave it to him on a hire purchase agreement" she said "Adam found details in his bank records too, he stopped making payments, and when he didn't contact them, they sold the debt on to a debt collection company, along with all the records. The equipment now belongs to Saffross Collections, and according to head office, they collected their debt the day Lee died. They took the equipment and all the paperwork"

"Oh great" Don sighed "I've tangled with them before"

"Professionally?" Jo asked, slightly concerned.

"Yeah" he replied "Some of their guys are pretty heavy handed"

"Heavy handed enough to murder?" Jo asked.

"Let's find out" he said grabbing his jacket.

"You get anything else from the care company?" Jo asked on the way to his car.

"Nothing" he replied flatly "All the aides who went to Lee checked out, and he cancelled the contract the day before he died"

"Why would he do that?" Jo asked.

"I have no idea" Don replied "But any chance we can wrap this up today?" he asked with a sideways look and grin "I'm missing my bed!"

"Your bed" Jo said, subtly laughing "Or who is in it?!"

"Both" he replied gruffly.

"Well hopefully, when we get to Saffross, the murderer will have a huge sign on their head and we can all go home for tea!" Jo said laughing.

"Here's hopin'!" he laughed back.

…...

"You're quite the comedian aren't you?" Danny sat opposite Aaron Beckton "I mean in _all_ my years as a cop, I've _never_ had a suspect call themselves Michael Mouse before, good one, I even looked you up"

"I can't help my name" Beckton shrugged.

"_Nearly_ as good as Mr D Duck, not quite, but you have potential" Danny grinned "But an ordinary, run of the mill name, like say Aaron Beckton, a guy like that might have a record I'm thinking"

Beckton shifted uncomfortably in his chair, but didn't say anything.

"Spitting on a sidewalk" Lindsay joined in "Such disgusting behaviour, but enough to get your prints in the system"

"Get to the point" Beckton's lawyer sighed "From what I understand, you've got my client on trespass, and _that's_ only if the hotel manager presses charges"

"Don't forget resisting arrest" Lindsay pointed out.

"And assaulting a police officer" Danny added "I think Detective Flack's been in a pretty bad mood lately right? I think he'd probably wanna press charges for a punch in the face"

"Oh you're right!" Lindsay said, sarcasm in her tone "Stickler for doing the right thing is Detective Flack"

"What can you offer?" the lawyer said blankly.

"I wanna know who he's workin' for" Danny said "We think it's a paper, that you're some kind of budding journo eager to make your name, but we could be wrong"

"It's rare" Lindsay said with a smirk "But it has been known"

"Yeah" Danny fiddled with his pen thoughtfully "You just _might_ be working for a group, or organisation, that plans to blow somethin' up at this conference. I'm guessing that if that's the case, you're probably better off here for now anyway, because they're likely to take failure _very_ seriously"

"I dunno what you're talkin' about man!" Beckton said "I ain't no terrorist!"

"I didn't say terrorists" Danny glared at the lawyer "Did you mention terrorists?" Danny looked at Lindsay.

"Nope" she said "But it's a good lead"

"Yeah, hmmm, what you reckon you can get for that huh?" Danny asked the lawyer "25 to life?"

"Alright!" Beckton threw his hands in the air "I was in there trying to find places I could hide and get information for the paper!"

"Which paper?" Lindsay probed, all trace of humour gone now.

"The student paper!" Beckton replied.

"You want to crash a Head of State Conference" Danny folded his arms, scepticism all over his face "For the _student_ paper?"

"Not the conference itself, just a story related to it" Beckton sighed "This guy, a billionaire business man is putting up an internship to New York Daily News for the student who gets the best story this year. All expenses paid, an apartment, a car, a salary and a guaranteed job at the end of it"

"This billionaire gotta name?" Danny asked.

"Mr X" Beckton said "That's all _anyone_ knows him as is Mr X. He sent an email to everyone on the student paper, telling us that the person who published the most credible and sensational piece relating to the conference, would get this internship. You know what that means? It means that not only do you get the internship, but if the piece is _really_ that good, then it'll get headlined by the nationals – that's award winning stuff, being the feature on a national when you're still a student!"

"OK" Lindsay said "I'm gonna need that email"

…...

Jo and Don entered the scruffy building, looking at the receptionist, Don's eyebrows drew together.

"Oh I can just feel the love" he muttered as the woman behind the desk caught their badges and folded her arms in a defiant gesture.

"Can I help you?" she said in a typical Bronx drawl.

"Yes" Jo turned her Southern charm up a notch, as much as she liked and respected Flack, his methods and attitude towards people that weren't cooperative, were abrasive, to say the least. She figured she might have more luck "We'd like to speak to someone regarding some equipment that was seized a few days ago from a Lee Harley"

The receptionist tapped lazily on a computer with talon like nails, glancing at Don, Jo saw contempt written all over his face.

"Everything was in order" the receptionist said, in a bored voice "All the paperwork done and everything legal, if this guy is making a complaint, he has no grounds. Everything was done correctly"

"That include leaving him to bleed to death in a bathtub?" Don said through gritted teeth.

Looking away, Jo missed the startled look from the receptionist, Don didn't.

"Oh yeah, we found him dead a few hours after your guys went through" he told the woman "So I wanna speak to the guys who were in that apartment, and _now_"

"That'd be" she tapped again, suddenly cooperative in the face of this seemingly furious detective "Damien and Harry, they're out at the moment"

"Then get them back" Don replied, patience wearing thin.

"We're not supposed to call them unless it's an emergency..." the receptionist looked unsettled.

"That's fine" he shrugged "We'll just take _you_ downtown until they show up?"

"OK, er...?" Jo laid her hand on Flack's arm, indicating him to stop, the receptionist looked puzzled and then realised what Jo was asking.

"Trinny" she supplied. Jo ignored Flack's snort of amused disgust.

"OK Trinny" Jo said "We _really_ need to speak with Damien and Harry, they may be important witnesses in a homicide investigation"

"I'll call them" Trinity decided, casting a look in Flack's direction.

…...

"This is Detective Flack" he barked into his cell phone as they got back into the car "I need a BOLO on..." he read the licence plate out he had marked down on his pad "I want those guys in an interrogation room when I get back!"

"You Ok Don?" Jo asked quietly.

"I just don't like the way these debt agencies operate" he answered "When I was on patrol, do you know how many scared old ladies and single mom's I had terrified out their wits by these clowns? They threaten, lie and cheat to get what they want"

"It's the nature of the business" Jo sighed "It's not right, but it happens"

"They're just legalised thugs" he fumed.

"Don?" she asked again, taking his impatient look as cue to continue "When we've talked to these guys, go home, have some dinner, spend some time with Kate. You're really... on edge recently"

"Am I that bad?!" his expression changed from surprise to humour "Don't answer that"

"I'm just saying that you need some down time is all" Jo laughed "Everyone does, there's no point driving yourself into the ground"

"I just like to get it right" he said "I'm finding the balance …... difficult"

"You'll get there" she assured him "No one said it was easy"

…...


	7. Chapter 6

**Showtime**

A/N - please bear with this next couple of chapters, they don't have much action but they are important to the main plot and ending - which has just been written :)

Chapter 6

"Hey Adam" Lindsay leaned against the door frame to the AV lab, Lindsay would have said it was in a persuasive manner, Adam sexy, Danny flirtatious. All three meant the same thing – Lindsay Messer needed Adam's help.

"You come back to work?" he asked hopefully.

Lindsay pulled a face "Not yet, well sort of, I need some help"

"Ah Lindsay I'm slammed!" Adam exclaimed "I got a ton of stuff to finish off, I got Jo ridin' my ass for the financials on Lee Harley, Flack is due to come in and give me some sparklingly sarcastic cut down when I tell him his rush job on some prints isn't done yet..."

Lindsay held a hand up "How much coffee have you had Adam?"

"Not enough apparently" he sighed "And the tech's – why won't they do as they're told huh?! I mean you ask them to..."

"OK!" Lindsay cut his rambling off again "Here's the deal, _you_ find out where this email came from, and I'll see to Flack's prints, he won't shout at me if they're late"

"He w-won't?" Adam looked tempted, more than tempted.

"No" Lindsay smiled at him with encouragement "Now, someone received this email, I have tried to trace it back to an IP address, but, I can't pin it down"

Adam took the flash drive and plugged it into the computer "Doesn't the pony task force have their own IT guys?" he asked as the information loaded.

"It's HOS Adam" Lindsay laughed "And of course they do, just none as good as you" she smiled broadly, making him blush slightly.

"I – er – know it's HOS, I was – um – making a joke. Horse – pony...?" Adam stuttered.

"Oh I see what you did there" Lindsay said.

"Right" Adam turned back to the screen "This might take me a little while"

"I can wait" Lindsay said, pulling a chair up, Adam whirled, grabbing two sets of fingerprint cards and a flash drive, dropping them into Lindsay's lap.

"The prints" he said pointedly "They need to be run against all the ones Hawkes lifted from the apartment for any match and either ruled in or ruled out from the partials on the knife"

He swung her chair and pushed it gently towards the door "I'll tell Detective Flack where you are" he added with a cheeky grin.

…...

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear" Don entered the interrogation room again and dropped a file onto the table.

Jo and the suspect looked at him he smiled, the kind of smile that a great white gives you just before it has your leg for lunch.

"Guess what _Harry_?" he looked happy, ecstatic even "I got your prints all over Lee Harley's apartment, oh and your buddy Damien's too!"

"Well they would be" Harry drawled "We went there to collect some stuff the guy didn't pay for"

"Oh I know that" he bounced on the balls of his feet, giving Jo an expansive smile "So you would think that I'm gonna say that you're right, and I have no reason to keep you here? Wrong!"

"You on something?" Harry asked a tilt to his voice "'Cos I gotta get the number of your supplier, it's good stuff!"

"Just good old adrenaline" Flack replied "And knowing I can lock your punk ass up for a _long_ time!"

"For doing my job?!" Harry replied.

"I dunno about you" Flack looked at Jo, imitated concern on his face "But last time I checked, murder wasn't part of a debt collectors job description, I got your prints in the bathroom"

"Murder?!" Harry exclaimed "I just took the stuff! If a guy wants to off himself in a tub, that's his business!"

"Oh so you _do_ know what happened then?" Jo asked.

"OK!" Harry held his hands up in defeat "We got to the place, and the door was open, so we went in and took the stuff. I had to, um, take a leak, so I went to the bathroom, but the guy was dead, I swear, already dead, so we split"

"And you didn't think to call the police?" Jo asked "Or an ambulance?!"

"Like I said" Harry muttered "He was already dead, so we took the stuff and got the hell out. Weren't no ambulance could help that guy"

"You realise that's a felony?" Don grinned again "Not doing your civic duty?"

"Slap on the wrists" Harry shrugged "Nothin' to write home about"

"_But_" Don said "You entered without invitation, home invasion in my book. So when you consider that, whatever you took is now stolen property. _That's_ a bit more than a slap on the wrists"

"The door was open!" Harry persisted.

"Because the guy had been murdered!" Flack suddenly changed, slamming his hands on the table and getting into the other man's face "The murderer left the door open! You and your buddy took the opportunity to make a few bucks!"

"Hey we work on commission!" Harry defended "These people who don't pay their bills, they get what's comin'! They don't pay for stuff and think they can get away with it, they're low lives!"

"_You_" Jo stood up, looking disgusted "Are the low life. You prey on people's vulnerability. Lee Harley was _disabled _by a stroke, two years ago. He couldn't make those payments you were demanding because he couldn't even get out of bed by himself! And he certainly couldn't have killed himself! He _needed_ that equipment to live day to day, and you waltz in while a man lay dying and take it all?!"

"We got a job to do" Harry defended "Just like you"

"Rubbish!" Jo said "Every person is capable of compassion! You have none, you just took what you came for and left him there!"

"Well" Don said "You're going down for burglary and fencing stolen goods. I think however, that if you had some information regarding anyone you may have seen at Harley's place, it might sit well with the DA"

…...

"Dinner?" Don asked as he leaned against the kitchen counter "_Two_ nights in a row? You sure you don't want nothin'?"

Kate grinned at him shrugging with one shoulder "When you called and said you'd be home soon, like while it's still daylight, I figured you might wanna eat"

"I can always eat" he said, picking up a piece of bread and pulling it apart before eating pieces "I like bein' spoiled"

Kate shrugged again, this time he couldn't see her face "You're worth it. Just don't get too used to it"

"Will I get chance?" he asked dryly.

"Probably not" she laughed.

"Good" he swung her round gently by the shoulder, pulling her close to him "Because if you're gonna spend more time in the kitchen, that means you're gonna be spending less time in the bedroom, which isn't an option"

"I cook you a lovely meal" she said, trying to look disappointed "And all _you_ want is sex?!"

"Um..." he looked at the ceiling briefly, as if he were weighing up the options before looking at her, a smile forming "Yeah!"

"Oh good" she looked relieved "I was starting to think I was gonna have to learn to cook more than lasagne and steak!"

…...

"Hey Adam" Don spoke in hushed tones, trying to ease out from under Kate as she lay sleeping across his chest.

He padded through to the kitchen, watching her get comfortable again on the sofa where she'd fallen asleep while they watched a movie after dinner.

"Hey Don, I been goin' through Lee Harley's financial stuff" Adam replied "And it's like he started shutting his life down. I think he _wanted_ that equipment repossessed, he stopped paying all his bills, cancelled his care calls, had things disconnected. It's like he knew..."

"He was gonna die?" Don finished.

"Yeah" Adam paused "But he couldn't have... Done it himself Jo said"

"No he couldn't" Don sighed "Thanks Adam, I appreciate it. Go home and get some sleep buddy"

"T-Thanks" Adam said, puzzled. Flack seemed in a much better mood.

"Break in the case?" Kate yawned.

"Kinda" he looked at his phone for a couple of seconds before putting it in his pocket.

She yawned and stretched "As of tomorrow I'm eight on eight off" she said, sitting up "For ten days, I need to sleep"

"What time you start tomorrow?"

"Six" she said, fighting another yawn "We're doing the airport pick up service"

"Who you got?" he asked as he locked up and turned lights off.

"Some Arabian prince and his entourage" she said, waiting at the bedroom door as he checked the front door.

"Careful" he warned, following her into the bedroom "They like blondes, try and sell them I believe, watch you don't get kidnapped. I can't afford a ransom"

"Thanks babe" she pointed at him as she slid into bed "I'll remember that"

"Ah they'd soon bring you back" he said, getting in next to her "No one else would put up with your sharp tongue and bad attitude"

"_My_ sharp tongue and bad attitude?!" she replied "That's good, comin' from you!"

"I don't have a bad attitude" he chuckled "I just have a low tolerance for bullshit"

"Except when it's comin' out your mouth?" she laughed as he tickled her "No!" she begged.

…...


	8. Chapter 7

**Showtime**

Chapter 7

Kate fidgeted beneath her kevlar, it was warm within the airport, and these foreign dignitaries seemed to be taking their time about it all.

The team were feeling it too, they crawled through sewers, perched in freezing cold bolt holes for hours on end, guns trained at threats. They ran into situations angels feared to tread, yet give them a comfortable room, regular refreshment and no imminent threat, and they struggled to stay awake, never mind alert.

"Heads up guys" Kate said, standing straighter and trying to focus her attention back from what she had been daydreaming about "Here they come"

"Damn" came a small growl from her left. Marty 'Cookie' Cook forced his attention back from the pretty woman who stood behind the desk.

Kate laughed "You got yourself a date there Cookie?" she teased.

"Almost" he sighed.

Duane 'Harlem' Majors snorted "Poor girl" he observed "She dunno what she's lettin' herself in for!"

"Shut it Harlem" Cookie replied "You're jealous"

"Hey I got a beautiful wife at home" he said.

"Ssssh" Kate admonished them as the party swept past them. They followed on at the back, Kate taking lead point, the team falling into the regular attack formation behind her.

"I feel like a right prick" Leon Pedesky muttered as he swept the room from the back "The most dangerous thing in here is Chuck's guts"

"Fuck off Pedesky" grumbled Charlie 'Chuck' Grey.

"Just get it done" Kate said, her voice holding authority.

They dived into the two armoured cars outside, Kate driving one and Helen Roe, a new comer to the team driving the other, with three officers in each. Kate saw Helen take on the sidewalk to get to the front of the long line of black and sparkling cars that held the party they were assigned to protect. Kate was almost bumper to bumper with the last car in the line.

"Who decided the women get to drive?" Leon asked.

"I did!" Kate gave him a sideways look as they hurtled through town streets, headlights and blues flashing "You got issues with that?"

"Not if we get there alive" he said, earning himself snorts of laughter from Cookie.

"I can drive with one hand and shoot you with the other" Kate warned as she swung the car into the hotel underground car park, blocking the entrance with it. Helen had stopped further along, near the lifts to the main hotel and her and the other two team members covered the party as they alighted quickly.

Kate shook her head as the security team came last, swinging guns and dark eyes in every direction.

"These guys are paranoid" she said as they parked the cars.

"They're worth a lot of dollar" Harlem observed.

"OK" Kate said "Lets get on it, Helen, Harlem, Pedesky, south side, we'll take the north end, stay awake" she warned as they made for the stairs.

…...

"Hey Jo?" Don smiled as he walked into her office, totally in contrast to the last time he was there.

"Well hello Detective Flack" she grinned "Someone's looking chirpy"

He brushed aside her comment with a self conscious wave of his hand "You speak to Adam?"

"Yes I did" she replied "And I'm thinking we need to speak to the sister again"

"I think so" he nodded "As much as I'd like to, I don't think we can pin Harley's murder on those debt collectors"

"Me neither" she mused "That leads us back to the sister, I just can't believe..." Jo stopped, frowning.

"I know" they fell into step along the hall as he answered her unasked comment "It seems rough, and out of character, and just plain horrible to contemplate slashing the wrists of someone you love, never mind actually doing it"

"Do you have the warrant?" Jo asked.

"Search warrant? Yeah" he said with a small smile "Friend at the DA's office helps me out from time to time, it was tricky, but she pulled it off"

"She?!" Jo arched her eyebrows at him "Kate know about this 'friend'?!"

He held his palm up as Jo punched the elevator button for the ground floor "I'm strictly a one woman man" he laughed "And Kate is far too good a shot to mess with like that anyway"

"But this 'friend'" Jo persisted "She has a crush on you right?"

"Maybe" he shrugged, grinning.

Jo gave him an indulgent look "Well if there's any evidence at her place, we'll find it" she changed the subject.

…...

Danny and Lindsay entered the plush office, looking around them.

"Boom" Danny said "This place is nice"

"This guy is our Mr X" Lindsay said as they sat in a waiting room larger then their apartment "I managed to track it right back to his own computer"

"You did?" Danny gave her a sceptical look "Or Adam did?"

Lindsay grinned at him from under her lashes "_I_ did"

"No you didn't!" he accused "I spoke to Flack, he saw you! You snuck off back to the lab to get Adam to trace it for you while you ran Flack's fingerprint analysis in return, talk about a good deal!"

Lindsay was saved an answer as the receptionist stood, gaining their attention.

"Officers?" she said "Mr Rodgers will see you now"

"Thank you" Lindsay said, then flashing Danny a look of pure innocence "I have no idea what you mean"

"Pah!" Danny said with a laugh as they entered another larger and more luxurious office.

"Nathan Rodgers?" Lindsay opened.

"Yes" a man in his early 40's stood from behind the desk "How can I help you?"

"We'd like to talk to you about an anonymous email you sent to journalist students at NYU" Danny said, sitting on a chair he could have quite easily fallen asleep in.

"Ah the internship" Rodgers smiled "What of it, what I did is not illegal is it?"

"Not in itself" Lindsay replied "But it's not very patriotic, encouraging students to find a sensational story and get it published at any expense"

"I merely offered the internship to inspire people, to separate the wood from the tree, so to speak" Rodgers leaned back in his chair "What students choose to do to _get_ their story, I can hardly be held accountable for"

"That depends" Danny said "What your motivation is. I understand that this company is an engineering firm, what association would you have with the press?"

"Everyone has association with the press" Rodgers smiled "News is what keeps the world turning, along with love and money of course" he flashed a sickly smile at Lindsay "I find good journalism intriguing, I want to help to keep the flow of good journalists through our city"

"But why Mr X?" Danny asked "Why be anonymous?"

"I'm sure you understand that a man in my position, needs to protect his interests" Rodgers smiled again "By being anonymous I can protect those interests better"

"Well thank you" Lindsay stood to leave, Danny frowned, but followed her lead "Thank you for your time"

Rodgers also stood "Any time" he shook her hand "Can I trust that I will _remain_ anonymous?"

"As long as you not broke the law" Danny muttered as they left.

Outside he turned to Lindsay "I don't like that guy, there's something about him"

"I know" Lindsay mused "But softly softly catchee monkey"

"What?" Danny looked perplexed "You been reading Lucy's books again?!"

…...

Don watched Jo speaking to Casey Harley through the two way mirror. Jo had practically thrown him out at one point, as he really got into his stride, describing what he suspected her of doing to her brother in detail. It'd worked though, he thought to himself, slightly defensive, she'd broken down.

"What I don't understand" Jo said softly "I why that way? Why his wrists? An overdose would have been so much kinder for you both"

Casey wiped her tears, Don scowled. He had no time for murderers, especially ones that lied to him and led him a merry dance around New York before coming back to the same place.

"It was so people would think that he'd done it himself" she sobbed "So I wouldn't be found out. He said that he'd cancelled his care calls, cancelled the alert bracelet and got rid of all the equipment, so when they found him, they would think it was straight suicide"

"He didn't bank on anyone digging deeper?" Jo probed.

"No" she said, clearly distressed "He was so angry, so sad. I couldn't see him like that, he _begged_ me, you understand what that's like? To have someone you love in so much pain? To beg you to end that pain?"

"I don't" Jo admitted "I hope I never need to find out"

…...

Don groaned in pleasure as Kate released the tension in his shoulders "Oh you're good at that"

"I know" she said smugly "Though you should be massaging _my_ shoulders"

"I offered" he said lazily "But you say I'm too rough"

"You are" she replied "You practically break my bones!"

He sighed "Can I ask you somethin'?"

"Yeah"

"If something happened to me, like I was ill or something, or on life support, would you ya know, turn it off?" he asked.

"Wow" she said, surprised "Wasn't expecting _that_"

"Sorry" he said "But would you?"

"For the next month" she said "It's your mothers call, not mine"

"She'd ask you" he replied "You know she would"

"Would you want me to?" she countered.

"I don't know" he mused "If there was no hope, then yeah, I guess so"

"Then that's what I'd do" she said "Maybe I'd unplug the machine and plug it back in, ya know, see if that rebooted you"

He laughed "Might work"

"What brought this on?" she asked.

He ignored her "Would you want me to?" he pressed "Pull the plug? If there was no hope"

"Yeah" she said "I don't wanna be hanging around cramping your style"

He stilled her hands, pulling them onto his chest and holding then there, turning her wrists to face him. For all she was tough and strong, he could see the small jump of her pulse under the pale skin, the fragile veins criss crossing her wrists.

"I can't imagine..." he stopped.

"What?" she probed "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" he smiled "Come on, you only got an hour before you need to leave for work again. I'm not liking these shifts"

"Me neither" she yawned "But you're not getting away with it, come on spit it out"

"That case I just worked? The disabled guy? His sister did it, she slashed his wrists to help him end it all. He couldn't do it himself so she did, he was depressed, no hope of recovery" he said.

"Seems a bit brutal" Kate said "There are easier ways, even shooting someone"

"I know" he replied "She said he wanted her to not get caught, and he banked on it being ruled suicide straight away with it being slashed wrists, I was so shocked, and disgusted but listening to her... I don't know, I kinda understood"

"It must be hard watching someone you love suffer like that" she said "Knowing you can't do anything"

"I still don't think I could do that though" he replied.

"That's why you're the cop" she told him, leaning down and resting her chin on his shoulder "It must have been awful, for both of them"

"I think it was" he sighed "I kind of admire how much she loved him, I couldn't have done that for Sam"

…...


	9. Chapter 8

**Showtime**

Chapter 8

"Oh you have to be kidding me" Don said, looking down at the dead body lying awkwardly across the table in front of him.

"What?" Hawkes frowned as he took snap shots of the body, he'd turned him over, and it was only then that Don recognised the victim.

"This guy" Don opened his phone, preparing to dial Danny's number "Was arrested by Lindsay a week or so ago for trying to infiltrate the hotel where some of the Heads of States are staying"

He held his hand up to Hawkes as his call connected to Danny, turning away.

"Hey Dan" he paused, giving the other man time to come round, being on HOS recently had meant the number of night call outs for him and Lindsay reduced to zero. Don was well aware that at 2.30am, when the call came through to him, most people were sleeping. Most people didn't have girlfriends working weird shifts.

"Yeah, sorry buddy" he apologised "I got something you need to see, that kid that Kate and Lindsay floored at the hotel?"

He paused "Yeah, Aaron Beckton. He just turned up dead"

"Pole dancing joint" he listened "Not yet, Hawkes is on it, OK"

He flipped the phone shut, turning to Hawkes "You got a COD?"

"Gun shot" Hawkes pointed to the man's chest "But the bullet must be lodged, there's no exit wound"

"I'll start with the witnesses" he said, fishing his notebook and pen from his pocket "See if anyone saw or heard anything"

…...

"All right! All right, all right ALL RIGHT!" Adam leapt from his chair, arms in the air, fists clenched.

"I am _one_ man!" he continued "ONE! You are all trained CSI's which I, might I add, am not, so..."

"I'm not" Don rocked back on his heels and folded his arms, grinning. He received a look from Adam that clearly said 'Shut up Flack' and for once, he did. He reflected that you never knew just _what_ these science types were capable of. Jo stopped in the doorway outside, watching.

"Lindsay, I haven't got around to running all the fingerprints from the scene yet" he handed her the cards with the prints on "Print lab is that way"

He grabbed a tablet from the desk "Detective Flack, Danny, I processed the bullet from Aaron Beckton. There's a hit in IBIS but I haven't managed to look at it yet, here" he shoved the tablet into Danny's arms roughly.

"Sheldon, the substance on your vic's hands remains unidentified, I suggest _you_ try" he handed Hawkes a kit.

"Mac, I am halfway through the DNA testing on those cold cases, I will _call_ you when it's done" He glared at the people in the room "Now go away and leave me in peace!"

They filed out, much to Adam's surprise, even Mac, without a word. Only Jo remained, watching Adam as he sat back down and replaced his headphones.

"Good on you Adam" she said with a smile, to herself as she continued down the corridor.

"Wow" Don laughed "Geek power"

"He shut you up" Danny observed with a grin.

Don ignored the jibe, looking at the tablet "What we got?"

"The bullet is a match to one used in a series of murders, indicates here they are mob hits" Danny replied.

"Mob hits?" Don pulled a face "This is a bit brazen even for the mob, in a crowded pole dancing joint? And what do the mob want with a student journalist?"

"I know" Danny considered "Bullet analysis says it's a handgun, with a silencer"

"Would explain why no body saw or heard anything" Don scratched his head "Until he bled on someone"

"No clue as to who pulled the trigger though and the gun is still in the wind" Danny said.

…...

"Hi honey! I'm home" Kate said as she shut the front door behind her, dropping her bag onto the floor. She followed the light into the front bedroom, seeing Don sitting at the computer, watching scantily clad women gyrate around poles.

"Oh that's great" she said, sitting on the bed "I'm out there protecting the nation and you're here watching porn on the internet!"

"It's not porn" he said "Think I'm stupid enough to get caught?" he gave her a sideways grin.

"Delete the history?" she teased "Two can play at that game"

He spun the chair around, eyeing her coolly "Really?" he asked "I didn't think women were into that sort of thing?"

"I'm not" she replied haughtily "But you obviously are"

"I don't _need_ porn" he grinned "I have you, and you are _more_ than enough"

"Humph" she said.

"Anyway" he tilted his chin slightly "It's pole dancing"

"Oh, so it's _classy_ porn then" she laughed.

"It's research, for work" he turned back to the computer.

"Sure it is" she replied "That's a lame excuse Flack, even for you"

"That guy you and Lindsay caught at the hotel? He turned up dead at a pole dancing club" he explained "This is the footage, it wasn't 'available' when I left the place. Uniform brought it in just before I finished, so I brought it home to watch"

Kate burst out laughing "Sure you did"

He swung the chair back around, trying and failing, to look annoyed. He was well aware of when she was winding him up.

"If you have a problem with me bringing my work home" he said pointedly "I can always stay at work. I thought I'd come home, cook _you_ some food for when you got in, and then work while I waited. What do I get? Abuse!"

"Oh you're _so_ hard done to" she giggled, climbing onto his lap, her legs either side of his, grabbing his face she kissed him, then turned her attention to the screen "I got better legs than her" she observed.

"I totally agree" he said quietly "I am within slapping distance"

"You're funny" she said with an expression that clearly didn't think so "What's for dinner?"

"Pasta" he said "It's in the refrigerator"

She kissed him seriously now, breaking away she said "Thank you"

"You're welcome" he grinned "I also bought you some chocolate, what does _that_ get me?"

"You'll see" she climbed off his lap, glancing at the screen "You missed the action" she said.

He turned his attention back to the screen to see a group crowding around an inert body slumped over a table "Damn" he said with a sly smile "I'll have to watch it again now!"

"Oh the hardships you endure" she said as she headed for the kitchen.

"Kate?" he swung the chair again, continuing on as she looked back for her answer "Be careful" he warned "I got a feelin' about this, I dunno how but I think the fact he got caught in that hotel has contributed to him being dead"

"I will" she promised with a genuine smile.

…...


	10. Chapter 9

**Showtime**

Chapter 9

Danny snapped his seatbelt into place as Don started the car.

"I thought with this HOS thing" Don said "I'd got rid of you for a while"

"Charming" Danny said "That's just charming"

Don shrugged, amused "Jus' sayin' that it's weird how this kid turns up dead after he's caught at that hotel"

"I know" Danny said "He was a student journo, who was trying to get a story, prompted by a generous offer from a mystery benefactor's email"

"It's all a bit strange" Don commented "I wanna hear what his friends have to say, there's somethin' we're missin' here"

…...

Don flipped open his notepad, clicking the pen impatiently "So you received this email too?" he asked the girl.

"Yeah" she said nonchalantly "A bunch of us did"

"You go after it?" Danny asked "The internship?"

"No" she frowned at them "A few days later we all received another email from the university saying that it was a hoax"

"You sure?" Don frowned.

"Yeah" she said again "Why, you after the guys that sent it?"

"Yes" Danny replied "Do you know who it was?"

"No idea" she shrugged "You might try the Uni office though, if they knew it was a hoax, then they must have known who sent it right?"

"Thank you" Don said, closing his notebook.

…...

"I'm sorry Detectives" the man behind the desk at the main university office said again "But no email was sent out to those students, on that day" he paused "In fact, I would have dealt with anything like that, and I haven't even heard about this internship, never mind warned people it didn't exist. That email did not come from this office"

"Thank you" Danny said as they left.

"Well that was wildly unhelpful" Don complained as they left.

"Not really" Danny said "What if Beckton was targeted? Mr X sent this email to a bunch of students, and then, pretending to be the university, sent one to everyone _except_ Beckton"

"Gave it credibility?" Don asked.

"Exactly" Danny nodded "Then he reels Beckton in, and sends him to work. Makes him _think_ he's working on a story but in fact he's collecting information for Mr X"

"It's an idea" Don swung the car out of the car park "But why would the owner of a multi billion dollar engineering company want information on an Arabian Prince attending a conference about climate control?"

"That" Danny said "Is the mystery"

…...

"I got it!" Danny said from the AV desk, Don looked up from flicking through some of the gaming magazines Adam had left strewn about.

"What?" he frowned.

"With Adam tracing that email back to Nathan Rodgers, I've managed to get into his system" Danny said "Don't worry, it's covered under the warrant for the email, I think"

Don pulled a face as Danny continued "Anyway, I've found all the emails he sent to the students. Plus more"

They read in silence, becoming more agitated with each one they read.

"We gotta get over there" Don said "If his plan works, that guy he's paid 2 million is going to wipe that Arabian Prince out"

"Right" Danny stood "His 'contact' in the UAE was quite specific" they both looked at the email that Rodgers had received from a person named as 'The Contact'.

_The Prince must Die at any cost. Twenty Million will be in your off shore account when I receive conformation Mr X_

"This guy is a high class hit man" Danny said.

"No, he's the one who arranged it" Don replied "And he's pocketing the majority of the money"

"I knew there couldn't be that much money in engineering" Danny said.

…...

Kate leaned back against the wall, trying to avoid counting the fleur de lis on the wall paper, again, she had quite liked the pattern before this job.

She smiled at Helen, who stood on the other side of the doors they guarded.

"How the other half live huh?!" Helen said with a laugh, nodding her head towards the firmly closed doors behind them. The Prince was holding a function after the penultimate day of the conference, for the rich and famous faces of Manhattan Society. They could hear soft music, the chink of expensive steel cutlery on expensive china plates and laughter from within.

Suddenly the room behind them went quiet, and then exploded with noise. People screamed, gun shots were fired, glass smashed, men shouted.

Kate nodded at Helen and she swung the door open, sweeping their guns they met chaos, taking cover behind a table they tried to work out what was going on. Kate could see other ESU officers pouring in from the allocated places, also as confused as her. Bodies littered the floor, some screaming, some silent, some bleeding.

"Officer needs urgent assistance!" she shouted into the head set.

"I've got him" Kate heard through the radio "One perp, top and right"

"Take him out Duane!" she yelled.

…...

The man looked up at her with glazed eyes and laughed "They'll get him"

"What the fuck is he talking about?!" Kate fumed, staring around her, even in her job, it amazed her that one man and a machine gun could cause all this chaos.

"I dunno boss" Chuck panted "But the rest of the building is clear, the Prince and the rest are safe, Marty, Leon and Helen all took a bullet, they're outside, they're gonna be fine"

"Good" she said "Where are the fuckin' EMT's? Get fucking central on the radio, where's the fuckin' back up?"

"Wow boss" Chuck laughed "How many timed can you swear in one sentence?"

"Fuck off" she told him "I want this building secured NOW!"

"Who are you?" Kate leaned over the man on the floor, a bullet hole in his chest seeping blood rapidly "Are you alone?"

He laughed at her, and she resisted the urge to shoot him in the head.

"I'm never alone" he laughed louder, before succumbing to coughing, gaining control again he smiled "I hope you like the present in the kitchen" and his breath stopped. Kate leaned over, checking his pulse.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" she swore, giving Chuck a warning glance "Sweep the fucking kitchen!" she ordered.

…...

"I don't _know_ what type of bomb" Kate told the bomb squad commander as his team geared up.

"What did it look like?" he asked calmly.

"A bomb!" Kate fumed "It had lots of wires running in and out of packs of C4 and a big sign on it saying bomb!"

"A sign?" he asked, taking her seriously.

"No" she sighed, trying to control the adrenaline "I added that bit for artistic licence!"

"Sergeant?" the commander asked "Are we sure the building is secured and that there is no one inside?"

"All civilians and police are clear" she said "But I don't know if the guy was alone, there may be others"

"Then we are going to need your back up" he said.

"I'm coming too" Lindsay said "More hands on deck right?"

"No Lindsay..." Kate told her forcefully "No way, you have no protective gear"

"Yes I do" she produced a kevlar vest and a helmet and set of goggles "You can't do this with just three of you" she pointed out.

"Why are you here anyway?" Kate asked.

"I was on my way, I was requested to sweep the Prince's rooms again" she explained "Heard your assistance call"

"Well at least it wasn't Danny and Flack" Kate replied, seeing Lindsay's look of confusion she grinned briefly "They rescued me once, when I was young and stupid, if we live through this, I'll tell you about it"

"The dumpster?" Lindsay grinned back "I already know"

Kate and her remaining team, plus Lindsay, led the two bomb technicians through the hastily erected 30 feet barrier and back to the hotel.

…...

Flack's radio crackled to life "All available units respond" the voice droned "All available units respond to an officer in need of urgent assistance at The Continental Hotel on 4th and Park"

"Central this is Detective Flack" he spoke into the radio "On route"

He looked at Danny "We might be too late" he said, jumping the lights and flooring the accelerator.


	11. Chapter 10

**Showtime**

Chapter 10

"Where the hell are they?!" Don fumed as he watched the front of the building, turning on Mac "You shouldn't have let her go in!"

"I wasn't here Don!" Mac returned "Lindsay's in there too"

"I know!" he said "I just..."

"You're worried" Mac finished "We all are, but bomb squad need the protection, we're not sure if there's anyone still in there to protect the bomb. Kate has her team in there, Lindsay's got her back"

"Damn it!" he thumped the top of his car forcefully. Further annoyed by the 30 foot barrier bomb squad had erected, if he couldn't be in there, he wanted to be closer.

…...

Kate stood with her gun poised, flashlight sweeping the empty room.

"You scared?" Lindsay whispered.

"You?" she asked back, not taking her eyes from the room they covered.

"Yeah" she admitted.

"Me too" she agreed "I wanted to get married here"

Lindsay laughed "If we save the place" she said "They might do it for free"

"Hadn't thought of that" she said.

The air behind them was thick with tension and curses, Kate thought her language was bad, if cussing out the bomb could disarm it, they were laughing.

Suddenly the atmosphere changed perceptively. Kate and Lindsay turned as one.

"We gotta go" two bomb tech's headed for them "Now!"

Kate and Lindsay took off, the rest of her team took the nearest exits, clearing themselves as quick as they could.

The quickest route was through the hotel bar from the kitchen, hoping for fire exits, Kate headed that way. She was wrong, plate glass windows faced them.

"We got about 10 seconds before this place is rubble" one of the bomb squad said, skidding into them.

Kate looked at Lindsay, dropping her rifle and releasing her handgun, she knew she'd read her mind as she did the same. Setting off again, Kate fired at the top right corner of the huge screen window about 20 feet away from them, shielding her eyes, Lindsay shot out the opposite corner.

The glass crashed to the floor, heavy curtains falling as they were dislodged, the four of them continued to run at the now shattered window, leaping through it and over the small wall outside, heading for the nearest squad cars.

…...

"Get down!" Mac warned as they heard the shots and a front window exploded in a cascade of glass.

Watching across the hood of his car, Don saw Kate, Lindsay and two of the bomb squad scramble through the window and race towards the squad cars parked in an awkward circle. The fact that they were running, meant only one thing, they couldn't disarm the bomb.

He willed them to run faster, paralysed to the spot. He felt totally useless, standing there. It all seemed to go in slow motion, first the rumble and then roar, and the front of the hotel wobbled before pieces of building started to fly in all directions. Kate and Lindsay were almost at the nearest squad car when the shock wave from the blast took them down. It took Kate flat, Lindsay was in front of her and shielded slightly, she stumbled onto her knees. Turning she half hauled a stunned Kate to her feet, dragging her forward. Collecting her wits, Kate followed Lindsay across the bonnet of the squad car as further explosions rocked the street.

From where she lay, head pinned to the floor, she could see Don and Mac, they were in a similar position as the explosions continued. Gas canisters and pipes exploded, just as planned. Chunks of plaster and stone work flew. All anyone could do was keep their head down and pray.

Don heard one final explosion, very close, and the twisting of metal against tarmac. He had the wind knocked out of him, laying still he listened in the absolute silence. Suddenly it was broken by a shouting, someone shouting 'No!' over and again, then more noise.

Kate watched in horror as a piece of stonework slammed into the side of the familiar silver car, flipping it and throwing it back several feet. Silence reigned as the explosions stopped and everyone turned to the wreckage of the car, then to the source of the shouting.

"NO! No! No! No!" Kate yelled, scrambling to her feet, ripping off her helmet and goggles. She couldn't see Don or Mac "No!" she ran towards the car.

"Somebody stop her!" Lindsay yelled, scrambling to her feet.

Two uniformed officers tackled Kate, they forcefully pinned her arms behind her back, she still fought, and Lindsay joined them, trying to keep hold of her.

"Get him out!" Kate yelled "Get off me!"

"Kate!" Lindsay yelled "Calm down!"

Kate stilled as she watched Danny and Hawkes dive into the wreckage, searching the small area for their two colleagues.

"Please Danny" she whispered.

…...

Don lay, stunned. He moved each limb in turn, feeling each one respond sluggishly as he felt the bite of glass and metal against his skin. 'Not again' he thought.

"Mac?" he croaked, memory coming back in a rush. He felt around him more urgently, feeling the upholstery of the car "Mac?!"

"I'm OK" he heard a reply, reaching out he encountered warmth through fabric, he gripped it.

"Mac?" he asked.

"It's me" Mac confirmed "Are you all right?"

"I think so" Don said "I can move. You?"

"My leg's stuck" Mac replied.

Don tried to move, sit up but the side of the car that had taken the impact was too close, he was pinned. They were in the delve caused by the stonework hitting the car. The vehicle had flipped into the air, spinning and landing damaged side down by some fluke stroke of luck. Mac and Don were sheltered from a ton of glass and metal by six inches of miracle.

"We do this too often" Don quipped.

Mac laughed "At least I know you're not brain damaged" he said "When you got a smart ass comment"

"Mac?!" he heard Hawkes voice followed by Danny's

"Flack?! Mac?! You OK in there?!"

"Hang on guys!" Hawkes said "We're getting' you out!"

…...

Everyone watched as the fire department lifted the car inch by careful inch with the hydraulic air cushion. Dust swirled from the circulating air, obscuring the view. Suddenly the car stopped rising, and Kate fought to be closer again.

"Give them chance" Lindsay said, standing in front of her as the officers tightened their grip once more.

As the dust cleared she saw them, sitting side by side on a gurney, submitting to the attentions of Hawkes and the paramedics.

Lindsay stepped out of the way, limping slightly as she and Kate rushed over. Her knees had taken a battering when she fell, Kate seemed to have fared better, her hands and forearms were a mess where she'd skidded along the floor, but both seemed to have escaped major damage.

Danny hugged Lindsay tight "You OK baby?" he asked "You OK?!"

"I'm OK" she confirmed "Haven't skinned my knees since high school, but I'm good, are they?" she nodded towards Mac and Don.

"Somehow" he said "The pair of then have nine lives!"

Kate just stared as Hawkes shone a light into Don's eyes, and then manipulated his left wrist, a look of doubt on his face. Don stared back at Kate, his expression as unreadable as hers.

His attention snapped back to his wrist as Hawkes pushed it in another direction, snatching his arm back he got down from the gurney awkwardly, brushing aside the doctors protestations.

He walked over and stood in front of her, for a second neither moved, neither _could_ move.

"My God" he said, pulling her roughly towards him with his right arm, burying his face in her hair.


	12. Chapter 11

**Showtime**

Chapter 11

"Can't _either_ of you _ever_ do as you are told?!" Jo faced Detectives Flack and Taylor as they stepped out of the patrol car, hands on her hips.

"We're part of this Jo" Mac said.

"I don't _care_!" Jo said "You're both on sick leave, _you_" she pointed at Mac "Have a laceration in your leg I could put my fist in. And _you_" she pointed at Don "Have a broken wrist. You can't even shave yourself! Yes, I've spoken to Kate. And the fact that you had to get a squad car to bring you here, because neither of you can drive, proves that you shouldn't **be** here!"

"We just wanna **be** here" Don defended "Don't worry I've already had an ear bashing from Kate"

"We have enough fire power here to take out half of the criminal population of New York, never mind Nathan Rodgers" she glowered at them "What do you think you two can do?!"

"Just observe" Mac fought a smile.

"Observe my ass!" Jo said "You stay out here"

She leaned into the front of the patrol car, speaking to the driver "Listen up! These two" she pointed to Don and Mac "Do not leave this car, you understand me? I mean it, cuff them if you have to!"

"Ma'am" the patrol officer inclined his head, touching his cap, getting out of the car, grinning at Mac and Don.

"We're staying" Mac sighed.

"Scouts honour" Don gave her a mock salute.

"You're no more a boy scout that I am" Jo told him, turning on her heel and heading back towards the ESU truck as both men laughed.

"That told us" Mac said.

…...

"OK" Jo faced the truck "We have one perp, he _may_ well be tooled up, and he'll have security. There may also be other individuals of interest" she handed around pictures "Meet Nathan Rodgers, he's the mark"

"Is this the guy that blew up the hotel?" Bo asked.

"Not physically" Danny replied "But he arranged it all, he is the elusive Mr X. He has set up to date, six murders for other people and blown up one hotel. He took out Aaron Beckton the guy" he pointed at Kate "That Kate and Lindsay found snooping around the hotel, by himself. He's smarter than the people he employs, we already have most of them at the pleasure of the New York City corrections department"

"Lets go then" Bo said.

…...

Don and Mac watched as ESU led Danny and Jo into the front of the building, more officers flowed through other doors, uniformed officers covered exits. The last three to enter were ESU, 'back markers'. The last one stopped, just about to enter and turned, lowering the rifle momentarily.

"You two so much as move a muscle" Both men recognised Kate's voice "And I will shoot you myself" she turned and followed the team into the building.

"You are a brave man" Mac looked at Don "She's quite a handful"

"Oh I know" Don laughed.

"But worth it right?" Mac asked.

"Totally" Don agreed "I ask you somethin' Mac?"

"Go ahead" Mac nodded.

"Would you be my best man?" Don looked at a point slightly over Mac's shoulder.

He waited for Don to make eye contact "What about Danny?"

"I already spoke to Danny" Don said "He understands my reasons, says he'll be Godfather to my first kid instead"

"Is that imminent?" Mac asked.

"Not for a while" Don smiled "Quite a while I think"

"Can I hear your reasons?" Mac asked gently.

Don let out a long sigh, once again avoiding eye contact "You have saved my life Mac, more than once. I don't just mean after that bomb, I mean every time you called me out on bein' stupid, every time I needed a kick is the butt you were the one who gave it to me. You have picked me up more times than I can remember and set me straight. Always been there, always with just enough of the right advice to make me see it on my own. Those are my reasons, those and many more"

Mac didn't speak for a long moment, he considered what Don had said quietly.

"I'd be honoured" he smiled, holding out his hand.

"Thank you" Don said with a smile of his own, taking Mac's hand and pulling him onto a hug "Thank you"

…...

"NYPD get on the floor!"

"Police! Get down, hands on your head!"

"Armed police! Hit the floor!"

The shouts rang out as ESU, Danny and Jo entered Nathan Rodgers plush office, the man behind the desk reached for a drawer.

"I wouldn't!" Kate was behind him, having used an alternative entrance.

"I'd listen to her" Jo warned above the shouts of 'Clear' coming form different rooms and areas of the floor they were on "She's a sharp shooter, she's not gonna miss at that range"

"Get down! Now! Hands on your head!" Kate covered him as he slowly stood, laying face down on the floor.

"Nathan Rodgers" Jo said, cuffing him "You are under arrest"

"What for?!" he exclaimed, his face the picture of innocence as he twisted around, Jo pushed him down roughly.

"Oh please!" she said "We have emails and testimony about your activities. That Arabian Prince was your latest target, only you had to come up with a plan to make it look like terrorism"

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Rodgers protested as Kate helped Jo haul him to his feet.

"Save it for the DA" Kate said.

"And interpol" Jo added "They're gonna wanna talk to you, oh and the FBI too"

"Why?!" he still feigned innocence.

"For murder" Jo pushed him forward "The murder of Aaron Beckton, and conspiracy attempted murder of The Prince, plus about 200 innocent people by blowing up that hotel" Jo paused "But mainly for putting a guy that's getting married soon in a cast, that's just mean!"

Kate laughed, and as Jo held her hand up for a high five, she returned the gesture.

…...

"Hey" Kate heard the door slam, but didn't turn from what she was doing.

"Hi" he stood in the doorway to their spare bedroom, watching as Kate perched with one foot on the computer desk and the other on the widow sill, rubbing the window vigorously with a cloth "Sorry, wrong house" he said, grinning.

She still didn't turn "Shut it Flack" she replied "My parents arrive the day after tomorrow"

"Which means you have to torture the windows?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes" she said, rubbing again "Stop checking me out"

He laughed "I like those shorts" he said "Though a maids outfit might have been more appropriate"

"More appropriate for who?!" she gave the window a last rub and climbed down.

"Me, obviously" he replied "I got dinner" he held up a bag.

"Uh" she said, taking the bag and opening it, wrinkling her nose "You're climbing in my estimations"

"Oh so glad" he said, following her through to the kitchen he stopped, frowning "You moved everything"

"I cleaned up" she said, emptying cartons onto plates.

"Wonders will never cease" he said, taking a plate and sitting on the sofa.

"My mom's a clean freak" she said, sitting next to him.

"It's your dad I'm worried about" he said.

She frowned at him whilst eating.

"You're daddy's girl" he explained "And I'm marrying you, I'm kinda worried he might give me 'the talk'"

Kate swallowed "More than likely" she said.

"We ever end up having kids, a girl" he said, the conversation he'd had earlier with Mac on his mind "No man's gonna get close enough to marry her"

"You're forgetting something there" she said with a smile.

"What?"

"She'd be _my_ daughter, and therefore able to wrap you around her little finger, like I can, you seen Danny with Lucy right?!" Kate laughed.

"You don't have me as whipped as you think you do" he pointed his fork at her grinning.

"Yeah" she grinned back "I so do"

"Maybe" he shrugged with a grin "You're spoilt"

"I know" she grinned back "Does this qualify as the 'do we want kids talk?'"

"I think so" he nodded "Do we?"

"One day" she agreed "We'll need some pretty tough Godparents though, our jobs, we could orphan them on the same day"

"True" he mused "They? More than one?"

"Two, maybe three" she said "You?"

"A hockey team?" he laughed.

"Not a chance" she replied.

…...


	13. Epilogue

**Showtime**

Epilogue

Kate watched him climb over the back fence awkwardly, and land on his knees with a thud a few feet from her.

"Hello" she whispered as he gingerly picked himself up.

He took her in his arms, kissing her roughly, pulling away breathless he brushed her hair away from her face "I love you" he said.

"I love you too" she smiled, half his features were hidden by shadow, but she could see the intense look on his face "You do realise that it's bad luck for you to see me right now, before we actually get married?"

"I thought that was just your dress" he said, his hand slipping inside the thin t-shirt she wore, he started kissing her neck.

"Me too, I think" she whispered, leaning back so he had better access.

"I don't care" he whispered "It's been ages since I last touched you properly"

"It's been a week" she drew in a sharp breath as his hands went to her backside, pulling her against him. She could feel the pot on his arm rough against her clothes.

"Ages" he groaned, kissing her again "See what you do to me woman?"

"Hmmmm" she said, her own hands wandering, feeling triumph as his kisses became urgent.

They stumbled back through the open patio doors, he removed the t-shirt, his hands teasing her. She started unbuttoning his shirt, pushing it off his shoulders, kissing his chest.

"Oh God Kate" he groaned. That was all it took, she wrestled with his belt, kissing him as if her life depended on it. His own hands pushed her pants and panties down in one move.

"Sssh!" she suddenly stopped, her hands on his chest as she listened.

"What?" he snapped, cursing the cop instinct that overrode everything else.

"You hear that?" she hissed "Someone's in the back yard!"

He fastened his belt, irritably, heading for the doors they had just come through. He pulled his gun awkwardly, resting it on the pot while he eased the door open with his foot.

"Stay there" he ordered, taking in the disarray he'd left her in, she'd put her pants straight, but she stood, chest heaving in only a bra, flushed, hair ruffled. He sighed regretfully, shaking his head as he went through the door.

"No chance" she said, unlocking the strong box and getting her handgun, wrapping his dis-guarded shirt around her she followed him through the door "You can't shoot straight with your right hand!"

She could see flashlights sweeping the garden "Halt! NYPD" ran out "Drop your weapon!"

"I'm Detective Flack!" she heard Don call back, holding his gun out so the officers perched on the fence could see it, he took his ID from around his neck and slowly made his way across the garden "I live here!"

Kate reversed back into the bedroom, returning the gun to the strong box and sitting on the bed.

He shut the door, a wry smile on his face. She held her fingers to her lips, pointing in the direction of the spare room where her parents were currently sleeping.

"What was that about?!" she asked.

"Someone" he started "Saw me climb over the fence and called the cops" he was grinning.

Kate laughed.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Well what was I gonna tell them?" he replied "That I snuck into my _own_ house, over the fence, to make love with the woman I'm gonna marry tomorrow because her parents are staying and we have to behave like a couple of teenagers?!"

She sat on the bed, laughter bursting out of her "And you call me Krazy! You told them we had an intruder and you chased him off?!" she said "They're gonna be out there now, looking for this mystery guy, tut tut, wasting police time is a serious offence!"

He lay flat on the bed "I feel like a complete idiot" he groaned, the groan changing tone as she crawled up his body.

"You _are_ a complete idiot" she said, looking down at him "But you're _my_ complete idiot"

…...

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it just remains now for me to introduce my friend, colleague and best man, for his speech, Mac Taylor"

Don led the applause as he sat down, watching Mac stand up. Kate leaned in to him whispering in his ear.

"You're gonna pay for that dumpster story Flack"

He grinned "Oh I know" turning to look at her "_Mrs _Flack"

She grinned back, taking her glass of champagne and looking up at Mac as the applause died down.

"Around eleven years ago" Mac began "A hotheaded, sarcastic and very talented 2nd grade Detective first came into my crime scene. In those eleven years, I have seen that Detective grow as a professional and a person, into someone I am glad and proud to have as a friend and colleague"

Don looked down, embarrassed at the words, as Kate slid her hand into his and squeezed it, Mac continued.

"We have butted heads on several occasions, but our professional relationship, and our friendship has always come out the stronger for it. When he asked me to be his best man, Don said I had saved his life, more than once. That is true, but he has also saved mine, more than once"

Don smiled as Mac paused again.

"Eighteen months ago, Kate arrived on the scene like a whirlwind. She's bright, beautiful and full of energy. She also has an answer for everything" Mac paused again as the assembled guests laughed "Which is why they are perfect for each other. They have known each other a long time, but like Don and myself, not always been on the same side of the fence, as I'm sure many of you here will remember. I have been told many stories..." he looked down at them smiling "Blame Danny for that" he told them before continuing "Of them clashing over things, and of practical jokes and pranks that would make any precinct C/O's hair grey. I'm glad I didn't have these two as rookies" he waited for the laughter to die down again "But with maturity and experience, these two finally realised that we are _all_ on the same side, and watching them fall in love was touching and at times, highly amusing. I know you are all eager for the party to get started, so I shall end by wishing Kate and Don a long and happy life together, Kate and Don!"

He held his glass up and the room toasted, sitting down he turned to Don.

"Thank you" Mac said quietly, his eyes shining.

"No Mac" Don said, the small glimmer of a tear in one eye "Thank _you_"

"When you two have finished with the bromance" Kate leaned round Don, looking at them both, lightening the moment the two men were having trouble dealing with "It's time to get drunk" she held her glass out to Don pointedly "My glass is empty"

He laughed, taking it from her "Mac?" he offered, standing.

"I'll have a beer" he said.

…...


End file.
